“No, I remember it clearly – it was Sister who asked me to get the steamed buns. Moreover…” She looked Meixue over and shook her head, “Sister wasn’t wearing these clothes just now either.”

Meixue found this increasingly strange and probed, “Did you… mistake someone else for me?”

Jiang Caiping shook her head repeatedly, “I don’t have failing eyesight – how could I mistake Sister for someone else? Strange, could it be…” She tentatively said, “There are two Sisters?”

Meixue said with amusement, “What nonsense are you talking? I don’t have a twin sister.”

Jiang Caiping stared at the tightly closed door. If the person she had just seen truly wasn’t Meixue, then that person should still be inside. Thinking this, she gritted her teeth and forcefully pushed open the door. However, the room was completely empty with no one there. The water pot was placed on the table, but the teacups were all turned upside down on the table with no traces of anyone having drunk from them.

“This is impossible. She was clearly here just now.” Jiang Caiping said while searching everywhere, even looking under the cabinet and bed, but never found the person she had seen before. After sitting down in confusion, she looked up at Meixue and said, “Sister, did you really just return?”

Meixue poured herself a cup of tea and drank it all in one gulp before saying, “Yes, absolutely true. I just returned.”

Jiang Caiping scratched her head and murmured, “Could it be… that I really was confused, and everything just now was hallucination?”

Before she could think further, Meixue said, “Alright, don’t think about these things. Help me get the medicinal ointment from the top cabinet.”

Hearing this, Jiang Caiping quickly suppressed her doubts and said, “Sister, why do you need medicinal ointment when you’re perfectly fine?”

Meixue said nothing, only silently pulling down her collar to show Jiang Caiping the dark red wound marks. The latter exclaimed in shock, “They… tortured Sister?”

Meixue smiled bitterly, “What else? Did you think they just kept me locked in the dungeon? Even so, I was fortunate that Second Young Master spoke up for me, otherwise I doubt I’d have the life to stand here now.”

Jiang Caiping’s eyes reddened as she said, “They’re truly unreasonable – this matter has nothing to do with Sister at all.” Then she said hatefully, “This is all that Shen Yunyi’s fault. She seemed so close to Sister usually, but it was all pretense – she was using Sister all along!”

Meixue was silent for a while before saying, “Yunyi… has she been captured?”

“I heard not yet, but Sister, don’t worry. The Governor’s mansion is heavily guarded – even if she had wings, she couldn’t fly out. She’ll be caught sooner or later!” Saying this, she went outside to fetch a basin of water. After cleaning Meixue’s wounds, she applied the medicine – this ointment was something Nanny Yang had given when Meixue accidentally cut her hand once before.

After helping Meixue change into fresh clothes, Jiang Caiping asked worriedly, “Sister, now that you’ve been released from the dungeon, you won’t have any more trouble, will you?”

“There should be no more trouble.” Meixue said with emotion, “This time I really owe it all to Second Young Master. I heard that I was able to be released from the dungeon so quickly also because Second Young Master spoke for me before Second Madam.”

“Oh, Second Young Master again—” Jiang Caiping deliberately drew out the sound, then smiled teasingly, “Sister, Second Young Master helps you so much – could it be… he’s taken a fancy to you? Actually, Second Young Master is very good – handsome and elegant, with gracious manners. He treats people kindly and never puts on airs. He’s much easier to get along with than Elder Young Master. If you could really marry Second Young Master, it would be a blessing cultivated over several lifetimes.”

Meixue lightly patted her head and said, “Don’t talk nonsense. What status does Second Young Master have? How could someone like us aspire to such heights?” When saying this last sentence, a trace of melancholy showed in her eyes.

Jiang Caiping didn’t notice this and nodded, “That’s also true. I heard Second Young Master already has a marriage engagement – to the daughter of Lord Changsun. Originally they should have married months ago, but because Madam passed away, it was postponed. They’ll have to wait until the mourning period ends before they can marry.”

Meixue’s heart ached slightly. She forced a smile and said, “Alright, let’s not talk about this anymore. Come, let’s go get lunch together. These two days in prison nearly starved me to death.”

Jiang Caiping nodded and went with her to the kitchen to get lunch. Just after they left, the half-closed window was pushed open from outside, and a figure struggled to climb in, then hid inside the cabinet.

This person was Yunyi. She had just been in the room listening to Jiang Caiping and Meixue talking. Afraid of being discovered, she had hidden under the window before they entered.

She had originally intended to leave then and there, but first, she still hadn’t found a hiding place, and second, now that Meixue was out of the dungeon, if they came face to face, her identity would be exposed. She had nearly been discovered by Jiang Caiping just now – fortunately, the latter was simple-minded and didn’t think too much about it, otherwise there would have been trouble. So, before finding a better hiding place, she decided to hide here first.

This place must have been searched more than once already, so it should be safe for a short time. What she was most worried about now was Shen Moping – she wondered how he was doing.

Meixue and Jiang Caiping went to the kitchen together to get lunch. The cook saw Jiang Caiping and smiled, “Why is it you again? Still not full?”

Jiang Caiping didn’t know how to answer and could only smile. After packing the food box, the cook kindly said, “You young ladies shouldn’t eat too much, otherwise when you get fat you won’t look good. Look at me – because I eat too much, I’ve become like this, and my old man complains about me every day.”

Jiang Caiping flattered her, “Not at all, Aunt Li, you look plump and well-proportioned, not fat at all. I don’t know how much I envy you.”

Cook Li was delighted by her coaxing and pinched her round, cute cheeks, saying, “Your little mouth is the best at sweet-talking. Next time Aunt Li will make your favorite braised lion’s head meatballs, but you can’t eat so many steamed buns in a row anymore. Don’t forget, you’ll still need to perform dances before the Governor and others in the future.”

“I understand, thank you Aunt Li.” Just as they were about to leave, they happened to encounter Chunxiu and Jirong coming in. As soon as Chunxiu saw Meixue, her previously cheerful expression immediately darkened, and she said coldly, “Shouldn’t you be in the dungeon? What are you doing here?”

Jiang Caiping said, “Second Young Master has already determined that Sister has nothing to do with the assassination, so this morning he released Sister from the dungeon.”

Chunxiu laughed harshly, “I see, no wonder you can stand here perfectly fine. Wu Meixue, you really have some ability – you’ve only been here a few days and you’ve already hooked up with Second Young Master. You’re even more capable than your father. Since you’re so capable, why don’t you simply hook up with Elder Young Master as well, you wild girl!”

Jiang Caiping had long been very dissatisfied with Chunxiu. Hearing these words, how could she still endure it? She stepped forward and said, “What hooking up with Elder Young Master and Second Young Master? What wild girl? I think you’re the one who looks like a wild girl! If you can’t speak properly, then shut up – no one thinks you’re mute.”